Snares Crested Penguin - Stewart island pelagic

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George Hobson
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Location: Wellington
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Snares Crested Penguin - Stewart island pelagic

Postby George Hobson » Sat Apr 21, 2018 8:55 am

The Birds NZ youth camp this year is Stewart island/Southland. We're on our second to last day today - homer tunnel rock wren look out!

On Wednesday this week, we had the chance of heading out on the aurora. One of our first stops was Bench Island - we were informed we should be on the lookout for penguins, so we were! Not soon after, the call went up, CRESTED PENGUIN!
At first we all expected it was a straggler Fiordland crested, however after much deliberation and talking with experts we've worked out it was in fact a Snares Crested. Key ID features we worked on were the pinkish skin at the base of the bill and no white cheeks.

We'll try and get a picture up asap.
Latest lifer: Little Shearwater in the Wellington Harbor (168)!
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Michael Szabo
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Re: Snares Crested Penguin - Stewart island pelagic

Postby Michael Szabo » Sat Apr 21, 2018 9:48 am

David Thomas has sent me this photo of the bird: https://scontent.fpmr1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/ ... e=5B520676
'Birds New Zealand' Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Birdsnewzealand

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